Anne Sofie von Otter

VON OTTER French baroque arias 4778610

As the titular anti-heroine of Charpentier's Médée, she plumbs the depths of villainous tragedy with an energetic relish. But it's the pastoral airs by Michel Lambert which provide the greatest pleasure, particularly "Ma bergère est tendre et fidèle", a lilting dance of voice and harpsichord, and "Ombre de mon amant", a sombre air accompanied by viola da gamba, in which Von Otter's limpid tones melt away in the final bars.

Record Review /
Independent (London) / 15. January 2010

Splendiferous her voice certainly is; von Otter is on prime form here, in repertoire she has apparently only recently embraced. Her French is impeccable, the sense of style acute, her characterization of the different roles she is playing is insightful . . .

Record Review /
Piers Burton-Page,
International Record Review (London) / 01. February 2010

The aristocratic poise and intensity of passion that come together in two of the French Baroque¿s great tragic heroines are compellingly conveyed by Anne Sofie von Otter in these prudently chosen opera excerpts. With William Christie drawing his characteristic colour, grace and rhythmic élan from Les Arts Florissants, the scenes from Marc-Antoine Charpentier¿s Médée and Rameau¿s Hippolyte et Aricie spring vividly to life. The elements of dance that underpin so much of the music are crisply and buoyantly characterised, with, for example, a lustiness to the appearance of Jealousy and Vengeance in Act 3 of Médée, and a mellifluous lilt to the chanson à danser, Celle qui fait mon tourment. This beguiling spirit is echoed in Rameau¿s opéra-ballet Les Fêtes d¿Hébé ou Les Talens lyriques, as much in the vocal numbers as in the purely instrumental ones. Christie¿s infallible feel for style elucidates the refinement of texture and brings out delightful detail in the shape, for instance, of limpid pastoral flutes or the busy string lines in L¿Amour¿s virtuoso ariette Vole Zéphire in Les Fêtes d¿Hébé and the gathering momentum of the scene that follows . . . With three airs by Michel Lambert . . . there is terrific variety here. Von Otter has spoken of her love affair with the French Baroque and it is something that she avows in her singing, which can range from anger to the tenderest pensiveness, from lofty seriousness to whimsicality. This a captivating programme, performed with finesse and radiance.

Von Otter the Swedish mezzo has mined her deep well of experience to record some of the most dramatic singing of French Baroque opera imaginable. Each vowel, ornament and phrase has been shaped into a narrative dart meant to pierce the listener's soul . . . William Christie and Les Arts Florissants provide sparkling accompaniment and instrumental passages from the operas.

Record Review /
John Terauds,
Toronto Star / 09. February 2010

Anne Sofie von Otter's recital with Les Arts Florissants and William Christie may be the start of a grand passion . . . Impeccably accompanied, this is a tour de force from opera's Meryl Streep.

Words are given proper emphasis, the soft singing is ravishing . . . The orchestra is given several opportunities to demonstrate its prowess, as it features in almost a third of the CD and once again proves it is among the best.